Michigan Technological University's Rozsa Art Galleries has opened "Nanowonder: Images from the Microscopic World," an exhibit featuring photographs taken by a Hitachi Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The show displays magnified images of tiny objects like butterfly wings, toy cars, and yarn, captured during outreach events at local schools and libraries. The opening reception on Sept. 27 allowed community members to bring their own samples for magnification, with researchers projecting the images on a large screen. The exhibit is a collaboration across Michigan Tech campus, involving the A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum, the College of Sciences and Arts, and other departments, and runs through Nov. 7.
The exhibit matters because it bridges art and science, making microscopic imagery accessible to the public and fostering hands-on STEM education. By engaging community members of all ages—including a pigeon named Sonnet whose feather was displayed—the project demonstrates how art can serve as a gateway to scientific discovery. The Hitachi SEM's residency at Michigan Tech through spring 2027 ensures continued outreach, broadening the impact of this interdisciplinary collaboration that connects university resources with local schools and libraries.